Methodology Decision Guide

This guide helps learners choose an appropriate methodology. No methodology is universally superior; the right choice depends on your problem, question, and context.

Start Here

Before choosing a method, clarify: the research problem; the research question; the type of evidence needed; access to data; ethics; available time; your skills; and your resources.

Choosing Among Approaches

• Qualitative — when you seek meaning, experience, or process (interviews, focus groups, observation, ethnography, case study).
• Quantitative — when you seek measurement, frequency, or relationships (surveys, statistical analysis).
• Mixed methods — when a single approach cannot answer the question fully.
• Document analysis / digital methods — when evidence exists in texts, records, or online sources.
• Comparative / policy research — when you compare cases or evaluate interventions.

Methodology must follow the research question — never the reverse.